STRUCTURAL AND MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BST CERAMICS OBTAINED BY HYDROTHERMALLY ASSISTED COMPLEX POLYMERIZATION METHOD

Abstract

Barium strontium titanate powder Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 (BST) has been obtained by hydrothermal treatment of precursor solution containing titanium citrate, previously prepared by complex polymerization method, and barium and strontium acetates. The powders were calcined at 700°C, pressed into pellets and further sintered at 1280°C using different times (from 1 to 32 h). The phase compositions of sintered samples were followed using X-ray diffractometry and EDS analysis. Microstructural properties were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. It was found that BST sintered samples contained a two-phase structure. Sintered samples underwent an abnormal grain growth, whereby some grains grow faster than the other due to the presence of two-phase structure.